IP Library Granted Patent US 10,389,880
Granted Patent B1
US 10,389,880 · App. 15/444,602 · Granted Aug 20, 2019

Short message service (SMS) response and interpretation application

Inventors: James K. Boutcher (Omaha, NE); Geetha Gopalakrishnan (Omaha, NE)
Assignee: West Corporation
H04M3/5166H04L51/02H04M3/5183H04M3/523
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,389,880
App. No.
15/444,602
Granted
Aug 20, 2019
Kind
B1
Abstract

A message processing application may receive at least one inquiry message from a user device in the form or a text message, email or other communication message format. The message may be received and processed to identify the content of the inquiry message to determine whether the inquiry message should be transferred to a live agent or whether the inquiry message should be responded to with an automated response stored in a database.

Claims (57)

1. A method, comprising:

processing, via a short message service (SMS) platform that integrates with an aggregator carrier, a message router, and an automated application that interfaces with both the message router and a live agent communication device, content of an inquiry message to determine whether the inquiry message is satisfied via at least one automated response message stored in an automated response library, wherein the inquiry message is a SMS message comprising words;

determining, via the SMS platform, that the inquiry message cannot be satisfied from any of the messages in the automated response library;

transmitting, via the SMS platform, the inquiry message to the live agent communication device; and

receiving, via the SMS platform, at least one response selection from the live agent communication device for transmission to at least one user device.

2. The method of claim 1 , comprising identifying multiple automated response strategies based on multiple automated responses, confirmed by individual encouraging messages that seek additional information pertaining to terms within the inquiry message and establishing a priority order of processing of the inquiry message based on the multiple automated response strategies.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

transmitting an automated response to the user device based on the at least one response selection; and

prior to transmitting the inquiry message to the live agent communication device, generating an encouraging response seeking additional information from the user device.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the encouraging response comprises at least one term from the inquiry message and a question phrase inquiring for additional information regarding the at least one term.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:

receiving an additional inquiry message from the user device responsive to the encouraging response to the inquiry message;

processing content of the additional inquiry message to determine whether the additional inquiry message is satisfied via at least one automated response message stored in the automated response library;

determining the additional inquiry message cannot be satisfied from any of the messages in the automated response library;

transmitting the additional inquiry message along with the inquiry message to the live agent communication device; and

receiving the at least one response selection from the live agent communication device.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

identifying a plurality of terms in the inquiry message which are related to at least one term in the automated response library; and

generating a plurality of encouraging response messages each comprising questions inquiring about additional information for each of the identified plurality of terms in the inquiry message.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:

prioritizing the plurality of encouraging response messages; and

transmitting the plurality of encouraging response messages in an order identified by a priority order of processing of the inquiry message.

8. An apparatus, comprising:

a receiver; and

a processor configured to:

process content of an inquiry message to determine whether the inquiry message is satisfied via at least one automated response message stored in an automated response library, wherein the inquiry message is a short message service (SMS) comprising words and is associated with an SMS platform which integrates with an aggregator carrier, a message router and an automated application that interfaces with both the message router and a live agent communication device; and

determine the inquiry message cannot be satisfied from any of the messages in the automated response library; and

a transmitter configured to transmit the inquiry message to the live agent communication device, and wherein the receiver in a user device is further configured to receive at least one response selection from the live agent communication device.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the processor is further configured to identify multiple automated response strategies based on multiple automated responses, confirmed by individual encouraging messages that seek additional information pertaining to terms within the inquiry message and establish a priority order of processing of the inquiry message based on the multiple automated response strategies.

10. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit an automated response to a user device based on the at least one response selection, and wherein prior to the transmitter transmitting the inquiry message to the live agent communication device, the processor generates an encouraging response seeking additional information from the user device.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the encouraging response comprises at least one term from the inquiry message and a question phrase inquiring for additional information regarding the at least one term.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the receiver is further configured to receive an additional inquiry message from the user device responsive to the encouraging response to inquiry message, and the processor is configured to process content of the additional inquiry message to determine whether the additional inquiry message is satisfied via at least one automated response message stored in the automated response library, and determine the additional inquiry message cannot be satisfied from any of the messages in the automated response library, and the transmitter is further configured to transmit the additional inquiry message along with the inquiry message to the live agent communication device, and the receiver is configured to receive the at least one response selection from the live agent communication device.

13. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the processor is further configured to identify a plurality of terms in the inquiry message which are related to at least one term in the automated response library, and generate a plurality of encouraging response messages each comprising questions inquiring about additional information for each of the identified plurality of terms in the inquiry message.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the processor is further configured to prioritize the plurality of encouraging response messages, and the transmitter is further configured to transmit the plurality of encouraging response messages in an order identified by a priority order of processing of the inquiry message.

15. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium configured to store instructions that when executed cause a processor to perform:

processing content of an inquiry message to determine whether the inquiry message is satisfied via at least one automated response message stored in an automated response library, wherein the inquiry message is a short message service (SMS) comprising words and is associated with an SMS platform which integrates with an aggregator carrier, a message router and an automated application that interfaces with both the message router and a live agent communication device;

determining the inquiry message cannot be satisfied from any of the messages in the automated response library;

transmitting the inquiry message to the live agent communication device in an order identified by the priority; and

receiving at least one response selection at a user device from the live agent communication device.

16. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the processor is further configured to perform:

identifying multiple automated response strategies based on multiple automated responses, confirmed by individual encouraging messages that seek additional information pertaining to terms within the inquiry message; and

establishing a priority order of processing of the inquiry message based on the multiple automated response strategies.

17. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the processor is further configured to perform:

transmitting an automated response to a user device based on the at least one response selection; and

prior to transmitting the inquiry message to the live agent communication device, generating an encouraging response seeking additional information from the user device.

18. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 17 , wherein the encouraging response comprises at least one term from the inquiry message and a question phrase inquiring for additional information regarding the at least one term.

19. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 18 , wherein the processor is further configured to perform:

receiving an additional inquiry message from the user device responsive to the encouraging response to inquiry message;

processing content of the additional inquiry message to determine whether the additional inquiry message is satisfied via at least one automated response message stored in the automated response library;

determining the additional inquiry message cannot be satisfied from any of the messages in the automated response library;

transmitting the additional inquiry message along with the inquiry message to the live agent communication device; and

receiving the at least one response selection from the live agent communication device.

20. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15 , further comprising:

identifying a plurality of terms in the inquiry message which are related to at least one term in the automated response library;

generating a plurality of encouraging response messages each comprising questions inquiring about additional information for each of the identified plurality of terms in the inquiry message;

prioritizing the plurality of encouraging response messages, to satisfy the inquiry message; and

transmitting the plurality of encouraging response messages in an order identified by a priority order of processing of the inquiry message.

Assignments (5)
OMNIBUS ASSIGNMENT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY Recorded Nov 25, 2024
From: UBS AG, STAMFORD BRANCH (AS SUCCESSOR TO CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH IN ITS CAPACITY AS COLLATERAL AGENT)
To: WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS THE SUCCESSOR COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 069438/0775 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Apr 3, 2023
From: INTRADO CORPORATION
To: WEST TECHNOLOGY GROUP, LLC
Reel/Frame 063239/0876 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Apr 3, 2023
From: WEST CORPORATION
To: INTRADO CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 063239/0900 →
NOTICE OF GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST (SECOND LIEN) IN PATENTS Recorded Jan 31, 2023
From: CX360, INC.; WEST TECHNOLOGY GROUP, LLC (FKA INTRADO CORPORATION, FKA WEST CORPORATION); INTRADO INTERACTIVE SERVICES CORPORATION (FKA WEST INTERACTIVE SERVICES CORPORATION, FKA COBALT ACQUISITION COMPANY)
To: U.S. BANK TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 062571/0018 →
NOTICE OF GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS (FIRST LIEN) Recorded Oct 10, 2017
From: WEST CORPORATION
To: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 044166/0901 →
Continuity (2)
Continuation 14330126 · Jul 14, 2014
Continuation 14036914 · Sep 25, 2013